Wedding Ring Metal Trends… Past and Present
As a symbol of love and fidelity, wedding rings have been with us for thousands of years. For as ancient as the concept might be, and putting aside the fact that it has spread to every corner of the globe, there are several things that have trended forward. An example of one such design specification that all wedding rings have incorporated, be they ancient or modern, is the fact that more often than not they have been constructed from something precious.
Archaeological evidence shows that in the early Bronze Age, where wedding rings first appeared, they had a tendency to be made from either copper, tin or of course bronze. Rings such as these were cast in stone or clay, and were simple, unadorned bands. Still, when one takes into account the rarity of such metals (for the Ancients, at least), and the fact that humanity had only just begun to understand how to utilize them, their preciousness and unique value becomes clear. As ancient humanity’s knowledge of metal working advanced and the chemical compound arsenic was incorporated into ancient bronze smithing techniques, which made the metal alloy much more durable, design features like engravings and carvings were incorporated into wedding rings. Again, the archaeological record shows that the styles of wedding rings remained the common standard until the early Iron Age. Early wedding rings made from iron were hand wrought and time-consuming to manufacture. Moreover, even though such a metal is taken for granted now, and in fact has been for quite some time, its preciousness as a metal in the years leading up to the common Era was unparalleled.
As time marched on and humanity’s understanding of metalworking improved, metals such as bronze, copper and iron became far more commonplace. Though precious for their uses, the fact that they had become so common and indeed had been incorporated into average everyday household items, made their overall aesthetic appeal less and less of the grand thing it once was. As such, wedding rings worn by common people became more like those worn by the wealthy. Metals such as gold, silver and platinum… once reserved as the province of the elite… became affordable to the masses and thus were incorporated into wedding ring design.
This trend has maintained itself for well over 2000 years. Few could argue the fact that gold and silver, and yes even platinum, are by far the most common metals used in the designs of modern wedding rings. Time is cyclical as some say, and if only in the design of wedding rings we do in fact have an example of how that is true. Many modern consumers and wedding ring designers are beginning to shy away from the most precious of metals and begin to purchase or have rings designed from industrial alloys or common dense elements. Metals such as titanium or tungsten-carbide alloys are two of the most common, “less than precious metals”, which are currently being incorporated in the latest wedding ring design trends. In fact, one could say that the incorporation of such metals is a trend in and of itself!
Tags: alternative metals, history, titanium wedding bands, Tungsten Wedding Rings, Wedding Bands, Wedding Rings